Trail guides, gear tips, nutrition advice and honest stories from hikers who live for the outdoors.
Best hiking gaiters 2026: full waterproof, mid-height GORE-TEX and ultralight debris models compared. Find the right pair for your terrain and boot type.
Read articleThe hiking layering system — base, mid, and shell — lets you adapt to any mountain weather. Here's how to choose each piece and when to wear it in 2026.
Read articleThe best camp shoes for backpacking weigh 160–280 g per pair and double as water-crossing footwear. Top picks for 2026 compared by weight, sole and cost.
Read articleThe best hiking mid-layer jackets of 2026 weigh 200–350 g and pack to fist-size. Arc'teryx, Fjällräven and Norrøna tested and compared.
Read articleMerino wool wins on multi-day odour control; synthetics dry faster and cost less. Here's how to choose the right hiking base layer for 2026.
Read articleThe Garmin Fenix 8 Solar leads the 2026 GPS watch field with an 86-hour battery and preloaded topo maps. Here's how it compares to Coros and Suunto.
Read articleThe Garmin inReach Mini 3 Plus is the best satellite communicator for hikers in 2026. Compare Garmin, Zoleo and SPOT on price, messaging and plans.
Read articleThe best sun hoodies for hiking in 2026 block 98% of UV while staying breathable and light. Top picks from Ketl Mtn, Cotopaxi, REI and Icebreaker compared.
Read articleThe MSR PocketRocket 2 is the best backpacking stove for 2026. Compare canister, alcohol and integrated stoves on weight, boil time and price.
Read articleThe best hiking socks of 2026 compared — Darn Tough, Smartwool, Injinji and Farm to Feet tested on blister prevention, durability and multi-day comfort.
Read articleThe best ultralight sleeping bags of 2026 weigh 340–510 g with genuine 15–20°F ratings. Sea to Summit Spark leads; Zpacks Classic is the lightest.
Read articleThe best ultralight hiking rain jackets of 2026 weigh 113–340 g. Patagonia Torrentshell 3L leads for value, Arc'teryx Alpha SL for GORE-TEX performance.
Read articleThe best backpacking water filter of 2026 is the Sawyer Squeeze at 85 g, rated for 100,000 gallons. HydraPak UltraFlask leads for on-the-go drinking.
Read articleBest hiking headlamps of 2026: Black Diamond Spot 400-R leads at 86 g with IP67 waterproofing. The Nitecore NU25 UL is the lightest at just 28 g.
Read articleThe best lightweight backpacking tents of 2026 weigh 650g–1.1 kg. The Durston X-Dome 1 and NEMO Dragonfly lead for weather protection and livability per gram.
Read articleThe Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT at 340 g and R-value 4.5 leads our 2026 sleeping pad rankings. Full comparison across weight, warmth, and value.
Read articleThe lightest backpacking tent of 2026 is the Big Agnes Fly Creek HV2 Carbon at 530 g. Compare the top 6 ultralight shelters tested this season.
Read articleThe Zpacks Arc Haul Ultra 60L at 510 g leads our 2026 ultralight backpack rankings. Full comparison of weight, volume, and frame type for thru-hikers.
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